People living near the Borecka Forest know it very well and are afraid of the creatures that inhabit it. The woodcutters claim that there is a drowner, Topnik, living in the lake. It is said to wrap the hands and legs of its victims with water weeds and covers their hair with mud and drags them to the bottom. However, the forester’s son does not care about the warnings. The foolhardy boy rows his boat out into the lake, jumps into the water and disappears. The rescue operation begins. The villagers are afraid of the dark waters of the lake. Only one young man is brave enough to dive down. The daring man finds the drowned boy, but he does not make it back. They are not the only victims of the Topnik. Also, the careless Gustek drops dead after he tries quenching his thirst with the water of Wolisko Lake. It is said, that the Topnik lurks in the reeds, looking for intruders with its frog eyes. It moves from lake to lake and its trail is marked by human misfortune.

However, he took the most cruel vengeance on those who doubted its existence.
Jadwiga Tressenberg, „Mazurskie opowieści”

